I propose (a pipe dream I know) a line from Newcastle to Maitland/Telarah in northern NSW, Australia. The approximately 40km long route would include some of the most intensively used freight trackage in Australia, if not the world. It also has 16 stations and some passenger operations. Route Yellow- Main Line (Newcastle Interchange-Telarah) Blue- Spurs (Carrington & Kooragang Island Coal Terminals, Broadmeadow Yard) Main Line The main line starts in Newcastle and the 2017 built Newcastle Interchange station, terminus of NSW Trainlink Intercity services from Sydney and the Hunter Valley. It proceeds westward past Islington Junction (on the map between Newcastle, Georgetown and Boradmeadow) and joins the Main North railway through the Hunter Valley to Maitland, before diverging northward for a short distance on the North Coast railway to Telarah station, the terminus of most Hunter line intercity services. There are top speeds of up to 160km/h here, and 120km/h on the coal lines. Between Islington Junction and Maitland, quadtracking is provided. The two southern lines are for coal trains only, and the two northern lines for everything else. Spurs 3 spurs would be included in this route: -Kooragang Island Coal Terminal This is a coal loading terminal, not sure what else to add. -Carrington Coal Terminal Same as above. -A short section of the electrified Main North railway between Islington Junction and Broadmeadow yard. Broadmeadow yard is where some electric trains running between Sydney and Newcastle are stored, and where the diesel trains on the Hunter line are maintained. Freight rolling stock can often be seen here. I suggest you watch this to get a feel for the route: Stations Newcastle Interchange Platforms: 3 Notes: Terminus. Hamilton Platforms: 2 Notes: Has a small yard directly north of the station for storing electric stock in the off peak. Broadmeadow Platforms: 3 Notes: Southernmost station featured, next to Broadmeadow yard. Waratah Platforms: 2 Notes: First diesel only station. The following stations are unremarkable enough to not need photos. Warabrook Platforms: 2 Sandgate Platforms: 2 Notes: just east of a really neat flyover! Hexham Platforms: 2 Notes: Close to a large holding yard for coal trains. Tarro Platforms: 2 Beresfield Platforms: 2 Thornton Platforms: 2 Metford Platforms: 2 Victoria Street Platforms: 2 East Maitland Platforms: 2 High Street Platforms: 2 Maitland Platforms: 5 Notes: Last station on quadtracked line, last station on Main North railway. Telarah Platforms: 1 Notes: Last station on featured route, most Hunter line trains terminate. Features Kooragang Island coal terminal Carrington coal terminal Newcastle is now the largest coal port in the world. Probably not a good thing... Broadmeadow yard Sick turntable bro! Sandgate flyover Comes free with a copycat HST! Trains n.b this includes trains I think fit for this line in simulation, not every train that operates irl! Passenger Hunter Railcar (J set) 2 cars long, max speed 145km/h. They run local services on the Hunter line, and in this route operate from Newcastle Interchange to Telarah and Maitland, with limited services irl continuing to Dungog and Scone. They also run deadhead from Newcastle to Broadmeadow for stabling. Freight Pacific National NR Class max speed 120km/h. They run just about everything freight wise on this line- manifest (the little of it that there is...), coal and intermodal. They are the basework for future models of Australian loco such as the drumroll please 92/93 Class These are basically the same, except newer, cleaner and slightly more powerful, but only operate coal trains. Many other operators run trains, such as One Rail (A G&W/Freightliner brand for those Poms and Statesmen), Aurizon and more. Their locos are similar if not identical to the above two, so adaptation really isn't hard. Alternatively use livery designer to make these liveries. Possible DLC: Regional Train Pack This would include the Xplorer, Endeavour and XPT trains. Xplorers run between Armidale/Moree and Sydney, so between Maitland and Broadmeadow on this route, with no intermediate stops. They are 2/3 cars long, max speed 145km/h. Endeavours These run the same services to the Hunter sets, and are mechanically identical to Xplorers. Old Livery New Livery XPT These run between Brisbane and Sydney, so between Maitland and Broadmeadow, with no intermediate stops. They however run through Telarah, just not stopping! They are based off the HST, max speed 160km/h. Thanks for reading Further reading Diagram: https://www.artc.com.au/uploads/ARTCS3090007_HV.pdf Timetables: https://www.artc.com.au/uploads/MTP_2022-02-20_NSWQLD-001.pdf https://www.artc.com.au/uploads/MTP_2022-02-20_NSWQLD-200.pdf Hunter Line info: https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/hun/76HUN If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!
Even with limiting the scope to the Hunter line only rather than the whole HVCC (or say to Singleton/Muswellbrook to capture the majority of the Lower Hunter mines), you could still include some coal loading at Four Mile Creek/Bloomfield (the balloon loop branch between Thornton and Metford), practically over my back fence. Plus, if you really wanted to capture the essence of Newcastle you'd need to include 82/90-class locos, if only for their iconic Ford Anglia 105E-style back-slanted windscreen. Given how similar the 92-class and NR-class look. I'd replace the NR with the 90 (although then you'd have two coal-only locos and nothing for intermodal)
They need to exist first. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...-of-delays-cost-overruns-20220629-p5axs0.html This is on top of the never-ending clusterfiretruck that is the D-set (replacing the Intercity V-set EMUs), they were delivered almost 3 years ago but still haven't entered service, were too wide for some tunnels and too long for some platforms on the lines that they were specifically ordered for, and have faced constant backlash from the RTBU about running without a Guard.
To be fair, the D sets have CCTV that doesn’t work and a completely different train management system to the A sets. One of the bigger things the RTBU want to happen is the replacement of the TMS to that of the Waratahs.
Even if the CCTV functioned properly there would still be significant resistance, one of my mates who used to be a boily in our workshop is now a driver for NSW Trains (as well as holding various positions within the RTBU) so I get a bit of the inside goss, but I don't usually get in to the fine details.
And for those curious, my expanded suggestion from a while back focusing more on the HVCC with the scope of the line extended to at least Singleton or Scone https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...-scone-dungog-hunter-valley-coal-chain.44964/
